John 7

I find it interesting that in John 7, he never sets out to prove that Jesus is the Christ. He could have set up a more elaborate story for us with the journey to Bethlehem and the family tree to prove to his audience that Jesus is the Christ, but he doesn’t. He tells us that “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was God and was with God” and that after John came testifying about the Word, Jesus ministry started.

Thus far, John’s testimony about Jesus has been about signs and actions for us to believe and follow. The journey he takes us on has been similar to the one the people in Jerusalem would have been on, with stories about Jesus and his miracles and words being relayed to them. The only difference thus far is that we have a little “I know something you don’t know” moment in John 1 with us being told Jesus comes from God and has always been with God.

Jesus, by his actions and words points to the Father alone as being his source and his life.

I think that is my takeaway from this verse. Can we, by our actions and words alone, point to God as our source and strength? we don’t have to prove anything with complicated formula’s and theoretical proofs, the question is do our lives point to God alone through the saving work of Christ?

If we can testify to the work of Christ in our lives, that powerfully points to God in a way that can never be taken away from us.

 

Going to try this again

Why, I’m not sure, but it might be interesting one day.

 

This is a test

Just a test of the new file hosting service on hostinz.co.nz

Paultest.mp3 test.

MP3

http://www.filehosting.net.nz/cgi-bin/FileManager/Manager.pl?file=Paultest.mp3&link=3fadd7069775b0599430f286fef07c20&a=15

M4A

http://www.filehosting.net.nz/cgi-bin/FileManager/Manager.pl?file=Paultest.m4a&link=ce0530bb974569ced460e36193436c12&a=15

New test with Chicken frames

Test using hotlink provided by hotlink button

http://www.filehosting.net.nz/cgi-bin/FileManager/Manager.pl?file=01_Chicken%20Frames.mp3&link=c70d1a38932d3416cd69ce5a5ff59a68&a=15

click on file in manager, copy download link you get this:

http://www.filehosting.net.nz/cgi-bin/FileManager/Manager.pl?action=view&file=01_Chicken%20Frames.mp3

Test using  fileden direct link gives you this

http://www.fileden.com/files/2009/3/3/2347628/Meat%20Jesus/01_Chicken%20Frames.mp3

 

recut trailers

Just found these on youtube, you can get recut trailers that can be really funny.

such as

Brokeback to the future

Office space

The office and again

 

Tuesday morning cartoons.

just got back from the run this morning and decided to turn on the tv while eating breakfast. Watched the emporers new groove, I think, followed by superman. Just got to say, in the superman series from the 90′s that I remember he was a strongish guy (Dean Cain) but would not look out of place in a suit, but in the superman animated series, he looks like the hulk all the time. He is seriously huge.

for some reason the title is supreman, but im not sure he would fit the clothes.

He would not look out of place in the 90′s wrestling world of steroids and high intensity exercise that took some of our most gifted actors and shamelessly put them on display for the world in a four cornered ring.

 

issues of the heart

maybe sometimes we say, if we could only get there, then we would be ok, If I get that thing, then I will be ok.
“Philippians 4:12 (New International Version)

12I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”

Its hard to live like Paul, but it might just be the thing that saves us. Of course there is a problem here, if we had learned this lesson a few years ago, the economy may not have tanked, but if we follow it now, the economy may not recover.

So for now, it will stay as an awesome verse that I will try to ascribe to so I can be better in my ministry and live for where I am today, not where I can be in the future.

Is your heart focused on getting the most out of now, or only lamenting problems now and focusing on the future when things will be better?

 

The Screwtape letters

This book is a really interesting read and one which bears much fruit when read.

It is a book written about a human life from the vantage point of  an arch demon writing to a junior demon about how to ensure the soul entrusted to him winds up in “the fathers house below”.

Dont let the nature of the book put you off though. It is a darkly funny and very interesting book and one which does what a lot of books fail to do, provoke thought.

A lot of books try to tell you how to think, they may follow a logical argument and base it well, but they do all the thinking for you. This is almost the antithesis of that mentality. You follow the demons arguments and allow yourself to see and supply how things should be.

C.S. Lewis states that he would have liked to have a parallel book from the point of view of an angel, but the person who wrote that book would have to be a better man than he, and that every word would have to smell of Heaven. Im not so sure. I think if we read it as it is intended, with our views based in Christ, we supply the side from the view of heaven. As we read from the view of hell, we find the myriad ways we come closer to God and extend his Kingdom on Earth, and as they are never stated, we need to think about them and process them.

Its a great book and although it could be taken too far, Lewis, in his introduction tries to leave some guidelines for us. You can go too far and believe everything is the work of Demons, or you can go too far and believe everything is pure chance.

I would recommend it to anyone. (well nearly, maybe not little kids, it is partly about demons after all).

 

Just thinking

I think we were created, its unusual in this day and age to think that, I know.

I cant tell you if it was 7 days literally or how God did it, but im glad he did.

I have been thinking for a while, what good is humor?, why do we look back fondly or not on our memories?, why do we have a capacity for relationship that few other animals do?

If all we are is the product of a million years of evolution, what good is relationship beyond procreation and killing an animal more efficiently? Why do we love humor, it serves little purpose in helping us to get to the top of the pile? Why do we have a capacity for deep introspection that really does nothing for us in the sense of where our next meal comes from?

we are unique to this world and I think Genesis gives the best account of why. We are created in Gods image. God is a God of relationship, a God of humor, a God of our thoughts and dreams and a God of love, so we are all these things too. We are not like a monkey or a bear.

Speaking of bears:

A man goes into the forest and comes face to face with a bear, He stares it down. The bear roars, he roars back. The bear scratches its belly, he scratches his belly. The bear takes a crap, he says well you got me beat there, I did that when I first saw you.

 

Bear Grylls, Christian. Awesome

How is your Christian faith important to you?

“It feels like the rock in my life and it has taken me a long time to no longer be afraid to say that. But I have learnt that it takes a proud man to say he needs nothing. Faith gives me a strong backbone and when we find that within ourselves we can then live more exciting, effective, kind, passionate and giving lives. Life has a meaning again. It doesn’t though make life easier in any way, and I still battle with my fair share of struggles and doubt and often great self-doubt, but that is just the product of trying to stretch beyond the norm and to live life fully. I depend on a few simple verses everyday that have held me thro so many tough times. They are a mix of these:

* ‘I am here to help you’

* ‘I am holding you by your right hand’

* ‘The lord himself watches over you’

That’s it for me in a nutshell.” – Bear Grylls

Christians need more people to stand up and be honest about faith. Could you give a simple account of your faith if someone asked? I dont think I could, but I am going to work on it. It might mean more to someone than we realise.

 

cold day hot computer.

I sometimes dont like my laptop bacause of techno snobbery, but today im really grateful that it runs warm, its the only thing keeping my fingers from freezing as I type out a large essay.